House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory & SHARP
Last weekend, Toronto had a few more Michelin stars in town than usual. On November 22nd and 23rd, Sushi Yugen welcomed Michelin two-star Jônt from Washington, D.C. to help deliver a unique experience celebrating The House of Suntory, specifically, their limited edition 2024 Tsukuriwake Selection whiskies. Interestingly, there might not have been a better way to represent the storied Japanese spirit house more perfectly than through this collaboration of industry leaders. The collaborative dinner is something particularly unique in the restaurant industry, where the experience extends beyond the guest, and becomes an opportunity for chefs to share techniques, styles, and ingredients, creating a moment that brings new meaning to tradition.
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
The House of Suntory has long paid homage to the style of whisky typically found throughout Scotland, an example being the Yamazaki Golden Promise, which is made from barley first grown in Scotland in the 1960s. With the 2024 Edition only recently bottled and distributed, guests of the Michelin event were some of the first in the world to try it. It was fitting to welcome Chef Ryan Ratino for this occasion, considering the level of respect he has paid to Japanese ingredients and techniques on his menu (his concept of Jônt D.C. was awarded the prestigious Michelin two-star honour in both 2021 and 2022).
Much like The House of Suntory, Ratino and his team have been inspired by history in order to bring something new to the food and drink culture, pushing the boundaries of where we might find inspiration, and how it might make its way onto our plates. It then felt appropriate to host Jônt at the Michelin-recognized concept of Sushi Yugen, headed by Chef Kyohei Igarashi. Although the two concepts share similarities in terms of their service style, their differences are what made the experience truly special, allowing all those involved to show the different perspectives of a Japanese-style omakase tasting menu.
Guests were taken on a truly singular and indulgent 16-course journey, with a drink pairing to match each of the impressively thoughtful dishes. With the help of Massimo Zitti, co-owner of Mother Cocktail Bar and 2022 World Class Cocktail Champion, Chef Ratino and Chef Igarashi went dish for dish, delivering courses that exemplified diversity and creativity. The snack courses were highlighted by young barracuda (kamasu) and caviar paired with a cocktail consisting of Suntory Toki whisky and flat champagne re-carbonated with malt. The snack course concluded with something quite special — an ice hut filled with shiromi, topped with flowers and an abundance of white truffle from alba. The experience was highlighted by the range of flavours that exist between both the restaurants and the drink pairings.
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
House of Suntory Pairs Sushi Yūgen and Jônt for a Singular Culinary Journey
As guests made their way through the savoury courses, they saw dishes like venison gyoza in its own broth, a whole kinki rockfish in broth with burdock root, and Chef Igarashi’s signature albacore tuna in a sauce made of its liver. To conclude the meal, guests tasted two of The House of Suntory’s latest releases; The Yamazaki Golden Promise 2024 and the Yamazaki Islay Peated 2024. Where Golden Promise gave notes of custard and marmalade imposed by the American Oak, The Islay Peated was something much more distinctly mineral driven — linear and toasty; it was an example of how unique Yamazaki can be due to the water used and the maturation process. Fortunately, both whiskies, along with the Yamazaki 18 Year Old and Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt are available at both LCBO and BC Liquor Stores.
So, while experiencing Chef Ratino and Chef Igarashi in one menu might be a truly singular experience, luckily for whisky lovers, House of Suntory’s most special offerings are available to everyone, for a limited time.
